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i am physically unable to burp.

All my life i have been unable to burp. I have these awful embarrassing involuntary gurgles that are sometimes loud and others not as loud. As long as i could remember, i have felt bloated after i eat too much or drink anything. Many people have tried to teach me how to burp but i simply cant. Almost everytime i yawn though, i always seem to let out a tiny burp or maybe a gurgle and i feel a little relief. i have noticed i yawn a lot more than other people, maybe this is a way my body tries to get out the access air. I hardly throw up or get sick. I have thrown up maybe seven or eight times in my life and i am 17 now. I do remember everytime i throw up i belch really loud before doing so. It sounds horrific and i have never heard anyone burp the way i do when i am sick. No one believes i cant burp, even the people who have heard my gurgles. My mothier thinks i am weird and refuses to take me to any kind of docter because she thinks i am making this up. i am afraid that if i dont get help soon i might just blow up. Recently, i was curious if i was the only one with this problem so i did some research online. I have come to find that many people have experienced what i have but i have heard nothing about a cure or a name for this problem. If someone has an answer or the same or similar problem, please let me know (:


thank you so much,
paige.
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Avatar universal
Hi I'm a 25 year old female from the uk and I've always struggled with not burping. My stomach can get very very bloated especially after certain foods Or if I'm out drinking socially with friends. I've always been very self conscious about this as after a couple of drinks that include something fizzy I get this pain around my throat/chest area and the only way To release the pain is to sick my fingers down my throat (just to clarify I, never sick) but it does sound like I'm being sick and This is very embarrassing especially when your out in public. I often have to sit and wait in pain until I know the toilet is clear but now family and friends know what I'm doing. I live of rennys and The doctor gave me lansoprazole to take but I'm finding this doesn't help much. I often get a funny gurgle pain that you can hear inside once I've eaten or drank which is pretty loud to. I just wish there was something :(
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Avatar universal
I’ve had the same issue as the OP, as well as the hundreds of other posters on this thread. It’s great to know I’m not alone on this. I’m a 25 year old male, and have tried researching this periodically over the years, but this is the first time I’ve actually been able to find a name and possible cure. This is a very real problem for those who have it. We have a great deal of pressure in our chest almost constantly, and it just becomes the “norm” for us. It seems to have been getting worse for me over the past several years. I have had many GI appointments and tests done, and had been diagnosed with “IBS.” Even after telling all of my doctors and GI specialists that I physically couldn’t burp, never had before, and felt that a lot of my problems were contributed to that; they completely brushed it off and never mentioned anything about an upper esophageal sphincter, or specifically, retrograde-only cricopharyngeus dysfuction. I guess no one really cares about your own health the way YOU do. I am definitely going to do whatever it takes to have this treatment done. I’ll try to remember to pop back in here and report any results. Good luck to everyone suffering from this curse, you are not alone!
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Avatar universal
Hi I'm a 23 year old female with so many similar stories. This is is called upper esophageal dysfunction. Here is a really good medical description of what's going on: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/3623025/
Here's another one also with three different treatment options, the less invasive of which is Botox injections into the throat to relax the muscle that's not working correctly. It's usually a temporary fix.
https://laryngopedia.com/cricopharyngeal-dysfunction/
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Avatar universal
This is my life. I am so happy to know that I am not alone out there. This thing we have is a curse.

I have lived with it all my life (28 years, female, exercise daily, eat healthy etc etc) and it's getting to the point where I feel the only solution is getting a razor out and cutting my own throat. That way, all that air will have to come out!

I know that everything I eat and drink will make me feel like crap. I know that whenever there's a social event I won't be able to drink or eat in order to avoid feeling like that. Drinking fizzy drinks is absolutely prohibited. And drinking beer after a meal is the worst (especially after pizza). Another awful combination is dinner, dessert and alcohol. Then I really feel like I'm about to explode. I thought maybe it was an allergy or an intolerance so I had them tests done, and it was neither.

I cannot go out on dates where there's dinner or drinks involved, because the sounds my throat makes are such a turn off for everyone, and since the air can't come out that way, I will bloat and fart like there's no tomorrow, which is a no go for a date (or relationships in general). Oh, how many times have I gone out for dinners or dates and sleepovers where I have spent the entire night absolutely awake and alert in order not to fart! And whenever I go to the bathroom just to let them out, they magically disappear. The moment I sit down again on the couch or lie down in bed, BAM. There they are again, just to make me feel miserable.

Not to mention dinner + movie kinda dates. Where my throat makes such loud and annoying noises that even at the loudest Imax they will be heard, let alone on a nice couch at home watching a movie with a beau. And the rest of the night spent holding in the farts, resulting in the worse belly pains ever, to the point where I just want to go home and resign to the thought of being single forever. (and the hickups! Oh, the damn hickups, like I was a drunk- which, since I cannot drink, never am).

If I do go out for a drink, after 2 or 3 drinks (whether beer or spirits) I have to stop, because my throat swells up so much that I feel like I cannot breathe. And when I go home, I sit on my bed with an empty cup on the bedside table just so I can spit the ridiculous amount of water my mouth produces incessantly in the cup, until I pass out. Only to wake up with a painful burning sensation still in my throat (how many times has this been dismissed with acid reflux!).

My friends have made fun of me all my life. I'm the one who can't burp and instead makes those funny noises. They don't know how painful and embarrassing it is. On those very rare occasions where I do manage a tiny burp (maybe once every two years) it feels like heaven. Like the weight of the world has finally been taken off of my shoulders. Like I were Frodo and had just finally managed to drop that ******* ring into the fire and were able to see the Shire again.

This life is a nightmare. I have had many tests done (some very painful ones too) and seen many doctors for nothing, as no one would take me seriously, so I stopped. Reading all your comments and messages has given me hope again. If we let our voices be heard, we can find a name, a cause and a solution to this awful curse. I will try the vinegar as one of you suggested, I will put my fingers down my throat, I will get in touch with Doctor Bastian, and I will keep reading this post in search of answers and stories and support and encouragement. Lots of love to you all x Jane
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3 Comments
Hi Jane, exactly the same here, I’m a 29 year old male. I recognize erything you say. Especially beer and pizza is a very bad combo indeed. Unfortunately I can’t really resist that always. It’s weird to just order a glass of water and some light food. It’s really bad.. even worse that most doctors won’t even recognize this. Maybe we could however go on a date together. We have at least one important thing in common , which no one else can understand ;). So we could drink some water together. Doesn't that sound romantic!
I’ve never related to anything more in my life! Omg, such a relief but so annoying that it’s more common than we think yet still seems to be unfixable.
I really loved your post, Jane.  Simply because it has been the same my whole life and you have a way with words!  The chest pain from the gas build up and horrible hiccups are just indescribable.  So, just sharing with you.  I did go to Dr. Bastian at Bastian Voice Institute in Downers Grove IL.  Don't know if you've made it there yet.  The botox injections worked beautifully for about 4 months, then wore off - - - - It didn't do any harm, and I absolutely would do it again, particularly if there was any hope of it being a permanent fix.  Some people have been able to learn to relax their UES in order to burp voluntarily, but I was unable to do that.  Now, my best bet is staying away from social engagements which include eating and/or drinking - - - - taking Gas-X, which helps move the gas DOWN rather than it getting trapped in my chest - - - - and suffering.  I'm 65.  Dr. Bastian recommended a laser slicing of my sphincter (or something like that) - - - - but a possible side effect could be choking on aspirated food or drink.  Nope.  I'll just live with the problem and adjust my lifestyle accordingly.  I do wish you the very, very best as you are so young.  I hope you find something that gives you permanent relief.
Avatar universal
I'm so glad I found this group of people.  Growing up I never burped (even my mom had a hard time burping me as a baby) but didn't really realize this wasn't normal until about high school.  I remember telling some people that I couldn't burp and they made fun of me by saying then I must fart a lot and that was gross.  But then it kind of clicked, I did seem to have more embarrassing moments involving farts, which ended up leading me to quit one of my passions of dancing ballet since I would feel too uncomfortable and bloated during each class.  Not to mention the awful embarrassing moments.  I've always just got that gurgling sound in my throat and my stomach makes a ton of noises.  I usually feel bloated in the evenings and then luckily overnight my body will reset unless I don't get enough sleep, then I might have an upset stomach the rest of the day.  I have a huge fear of vomiting and think maybe that is what has prevented me from being able to burp because of that fear setting in early on.  I have to close my eyes and ears any time it is in a movie and I freak out about situations where other people could potentially get sick (I never really went to parties for that reason).  Because of this fear of getting sick, I would never consider putting my finger down my throat to gag, I'd rather just live with the bloating and eventually they'll come out as farts.  

One thing I'm concerned about is that I would like to eventually get pregnant (I'm 29), and I'm afraid of how the morning sickness might be with me.  Has anyone who has dealt with this been pregnant and how was your morning sickness?  

I think that it is awesome there's a doctor that can fix this problem, I'm so happy for people that shared this info.  Maybe when I'm a bit older and making more money I will consider this procedure, but flying from Hawaii to Chicago on a graduate student salary isn't going to work.  I'm just really glad I've finally found other people like me.  I have searched a couple other times on the internet before without success so it's nice to finally know I'm not alone.  

P.S. just while typing this out I had the gurgling feeling 2 or 3 times.  I feel all your pain!
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Avatar universal
Wow this is amazing to find you all! I have the exact same problem. I avoid all carbonated drinks. If I have 2 beers I'm physically in discomfort and bloated. Miserable. The gurgle noises I make happens a lot when I lay down after having carbonation. I tell people "that's my crocodile in my throat!" lol.
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1 Comments
Oh also, I am a 29 yr old female. I randomly researched this like many of you lol.
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